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Raising the Oval Roof

Marking another milestone on the road to the 2010 Winter Games, the last section of the unique “wood wave” roof of the Richmond Oval was put into place. Spanning 6.5 acres, the roof, primarily constructed of BC pine beetle kill wood, will become one of the most noticeable features of the Richmond Oval and an integral part of the Richmond skyline.

To celebrate the roof raising, Premier Gordon Campbell, Parliamentary Secretary for Federal Olympic Secretariat James Moore, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and the Richmond City Council joined VANOC Chief Executive Officer John Furlong and other guests in signing the last panel of the fifteenth and final section of the roof before it was lifted into place.

For four time Paralympic wheelchair basketball player and Beijing 2008 hopeful Jennifer Krempien, signing the roof was especially poignant. “It is exciting to watch the Oval blossom into a state-of-the-art facility with the needs of the community and athlete at the heart of the design. The Oval will be a tremendous facility to support Canada's high performance Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Having a facility that is accessible to all athletes and community members is just one more example of how Canada strives to be a world leader in supporting our athletes.”